Coin handling apparatus



Jan. 26; '1965 M. J. TRAUTENBERG COIN HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed June 6. 1961 EE aw mm INVEN Fl 2 MANUEL J. TRAUT N G 7 BY iATTORNEYS 1965 M. J. TRAUTENBERG 67,

COI N HANDLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6. 1961 46 INVENTORMANUEL .1. TRA TENBERG BY V ATTORNEYS M. J. TRAUTENBERG 3,167,078

com HANDLING APPARATUS Jan. 26, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheec 3 Filed June 6, 1961FIG? F mmma ASSEMBLY SECTI TTEEWNZLEOWsfiOT Tmfi 135575? sTzcrTonT] I ll l I FIG. 8

lllilli ||l-i INVENT OR. MANUEL J. TRAUT NBERG BY 7 f l M W Z ATTORNEYSi as indicated on line rates 3,167,078 Patented, Jan. 26., 19653,167,078 CUIN HANDLING APPARATUS Manuel J. Trautenberg, 7063 EastiawnBrive, Cincinnati, Ohio Filed June 6, 1961, Ser. No. 115,216 1 Claim.(til. 133-4) The presentinvention relates to coin handling apparatus orchange makers. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatusincluding a receiver for deposited coins and a dispenser forchangecoins. Specifically, the invention relates to an improved mechanism,activated by the deposited coin receiver, for dispensing a predeterminednumber of coins as change.

Change makers having a dispensing mechanism in which the change coinsare stored in stacked relation in a plurality of tubes are well known tothis art. The capacity of coin tube dispensing mechanisms, that is, thenumber of times the mechanism will deliver two or more smallerdenomination coins upon deposit of a larger denomination coin, isdetermined by the length or vertical height of the coin tubes. Thegreater the height of the tubes, the larger the capacity.

However, as a practical matter a change maker has the receiver anddispenser contained within a secure or theft-proof cabinet. Further, theoverall dimensions of the changer cabinet and, therefore, the maximumheight of the coin tubes therein, are limited by extrinsic factorsunrelated to capacity of the coin tubes. tration, insurance orunderwriting regulations require that thechange maker cabinet be compactand installed in plain view, well lighted and visible from the street.The change maker must be installed so that it cannot be removed withoutextensive damage to the machine or support on which it is mounted. Themore compact the change maker, the more easy to comply with regulations.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved mechanism for dispensing a predetermined number of changecoins. Further it is an object to provide a coin dispensing mechanismwhich has greater capacity yet is compact for ease of installation anduse within a smaller cabinet. Still further, it is an object to providea simplified, fool-proof, efficient, reliable, quiet in operation coindispensing mechanism.

These and other objects of the invention, as well as the advantagesthereof, will be apparent in view of the following detailed descriptionand the attached drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a change maker, with r the cabinet dooropen as for coin refilling or routine service; 1

FIG. 2 is a side section, taken substantially as indicated on line 2-2of FIG. 1, showing the improved coin dispensing mechanism; 1

FIG. 3 is a plan view, looking down substantially as indicated on line3-3 of FIG. 2, showing a series of ten coin tubes, for dispensing fivecoins at a time, mounted in sockets on a stationary tube support plate,the dotted line circles representing ten coin pockets in a dispensingplate reciprocable beneath the tube support plate;

FIG. 4 is a section, taken through three coin tubes 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the dispensing platereciprocatcd to the opposite position of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a section, taken through the three coin tubes shown in FIG. 4,as indicated on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan section, taken substantially as indicated online 7-7 ofFIG. 2, showing the series of ten coin pockets in the reciprocatingdispensing plate, the

By way of illus dotted line representing eight coin discharge holes inthe stationary bottom plate; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of the improved electrical circuitoperating the dispensing mechanism of FIGS. 1-7.

A change maker, indicated in its entirety by the numeral 1%), includes areceiver for deposited coins, indicated generally at 12, an improvedcoin dispensing mechanism indicated generally at 14 and an enclosure orcabinet 15.

The cabinet 15 is preferably a welded assembly of /3 or Mi inch steel.The door 16 is held on one side by a heavy non-removable hinge 17 and onthe other side by a sturdy locking mechanism 18. The cabinet box 19 hasa deposited coin slot (not shown) for entrance of coins into receiver12. On the floor of the box 19 are a deposited coin storage box 2d and asmaller coin outlet box 21. The box 2% fills with authentic coinschecked and passed through the receiver 12. Counterfeit coins or slugsrejected by receiver 12. are ejected downchute 22 to the outlet box 21.

The deposited coin receiver 12 is attached to a side wall of the cabinetbox 19 as by a suitable bracket 23 preferably adjacent the hinge 17 andmay be any suitable standard coin receiver and rejector mechanism.Numerous such mechanisms are available commercially, for example, asshown in US. Patent No. 2,292,628, and as manufactured by NationalRejectors, Inc. For purpose of the present disclosure, which describesby way of example a change maker 10 which receives a 50 coin anddispenses five 10 coins as change, the receiver 12 may be a NationalRejectors, lnc. mechanism, Model No. 7904. This particular mechanism isillustrative only, and any other suitable deposited coin receivermechanism may be substituted.

When an authentic coin has been deposited in receiver 12 and passedthrough to the storage box 2%, an electrical switch (described below)interiorly of the receiver mechanism actuates an electrical switch 25.The switch 25 is preferably of the double throw latching relay type,with single coil, and the feature of holding the last position of theswitch with the coil de-en'ergized. For purpose of the presentdisclosure, the actuating switch 25 may be a Guardian Electric Mfg. Co.,latching on/otf relay AC, Type lR-61OL. This particular switch isillustrative only, and any other suitable double throw switch may besubstituted.

The coin dispensing mechanism 14 is electrically connected to thereceiver actuation switch 25 by electrical Wiring 26, described infurther detail below with reference to FIG. 8. The mechanism 14 ispreferably preassembled and attached to the inner face of the cabinetdoor 16 by a bracket indicated generally at 28.

The principal components of the mechanism 14 include the plurality oftubular holders for change coins in stacked relation indicated generallyat 34 a stationary coin tube support or upper plate indicated generallyat 31, a reciprocable or longitudinally moving coin dispensing plateindicated generally at 32, a stationary coin discharge or bottom plateindicated generally at 33, and dual dispensing plate actuation meansindicated generally at 34 and 35.

A mechanism 14 also preferably includes a change hopper 36, fitted witha suitable tamper proof bathe plate 37, communicating with the coinoutlet box 21 when the cabinet 15 is closed and locked. The lowermid-portion of the dispenser bracket 28 is adapted for lateral mountingof the support plate 31 and bottom plate 33. At either end of the lowerportion of bracket 23, are flanges 33 offset inwardly of the cabinet formounting the actuation means 34, 35. The upper portion of bracket 28preferably has a lateral shelf 39 stabilizing the upper portions of thecoin tubes 31 and otherwise protecting the mechanism. At the end ofbracket 28 adjacent the hinge 17, if desired, a suitable shield 40 maybe located to prevent operation of the actuation means 34 frominterference by deposited coins dropping into the storage box 20.

A feature of the present invention is that the dispenser mechanism 14will have at least twice as many coin tubes 30 as the number of changecoins to be dispensed for each actuation of the change maker 10 by adeposited coin. Further, as shown, there will preferably be exactlytwice the number of coin tubes operational, loaded or filled with changecoins in stacked relation as are required for each dispensing operation.

For example, the apparatus 10 as shown receives a 50 coin and dispensesfive 10 coins as change. There are ten operational coin tubes 34). A 50changer to dispense one 25, two 10 and one 50, coins as change couldhave more than eight coin tubes 30, but only eight coin tubes would beoperational at any given time.

It will further be noted that the coin tubes are symmetrically located,one-half the total number, on each side of an imaginary center line (seeFIG. 3) bisecting the tube support plate 31. For example, the 50 coinchanger as shown has five coin tubes 30 to the left of the chain line inFIG. 3 and five coin tubes to the right of the chain line. A 50 changerto dispense one 25, two 10 and one 5c coins as change would have fouroperational coin tubes to the left and four operational coin tubes tothe right of the center line of the plate 31.

Referring now to the several detail views, the lower end of each cointube 30 is received in a socket 4-2 atop the stationary support plate31. Each socket 4-2 has an interior bore 43 with a diameter slightlygreater than the diameter of the coins to be stacked in a tube. It willbe noted that the under surface of a plate 31 has three milled slots 44.Each slot 44 extends longitudinally of the plate 31 and communicateswith at least one of the coin bores 43.

A dispensing plate 32 is a unitary structure movable longitudinallybetween the tube support plate 31 and coin discharge plate 33. Adispensing plate has a plurality of coin pockets 45 selectivelyregistrable, one specifically with each of the coin bores 43, and havinga diameter just slightly greater than the diameter of the change coin.

The number of coin pockets 45 in a dispensing plate 32 :are at leasttwice the number of change coins to be dispensed for each actuation ofthe change maker 10. Further, the coin pockets 45 are so located thatonly half the total number are registrable with coin bores 43 at any onegiven time; with the other half the total number being registrable atthe same given time with the coin passages 49 (described below) in thebottom plate 33.

As shown, the dispensing plate 32 includes three parallel strip elements46, joined at either end as by cross links 47, and slidably inserted onein each of the plate slots 44.

The milled slots 44 maintain accurate alignment of the dispensing platepockets 45 with the coin bores 43. The thickness of each strip element4-6 is less than, and the corresponding height of each slot 44 is justslightly greater than, the thickness of any coin stacked in a tube 35.

The bottom plate 33 which remains stationary with relation to thelongitudinally moving or reciprocating plate 31 has a predeterminednumber of coin passages 49 offset laterally from the bores 43 of thecoin tubes 30 and having a diameter sufiicient for drop through ofchange coins in the dispensing plate pockets 45 into the hopper 36. Theexact number of coin passages in plate 33 is determined by two factors;the number of coins to be dispensed as change; and, the relative lengthof each passage 49 with respect to its width. To illustrate the latterfactor, relative lengthwidth, reference is made to FIG. 7.

As shown, the bottom plate 33 has six coin passages 49A, which areuniformly circular. There are also two coin passages 433 which areelliptical in shape. The elliptical passages 49B are placedsymmetrically astride an imaginary center line bisecting the bottomplate 33 so that reciprocation of the dispensing plate 32, in eitherdirection, will bring the laterally adjacent coin pockets 45 intregistry with a passage 4913.

If the coin passages are each elliptical and astride the center line ofplate 33, the form of passages 498, the number of coin passages will beexactly the number of change coins to be dispensed for each actuation ofthe change maker 10 by a deposited coin. If the coin'passages are eachcircular, the form of passages 43A, the number of coin passages will betwice the number of change coins to be dispensed for each actuation ofthe change maker 10.

The means 34 and 35, which are selectively and alternately actuated by aswitch 25 to move the dispensing plate 32 longitudinally between thestationary tube support plate 31 and bottom plate 33 are preferablyquick-acting pushpull electrical solenoids. The mandrel or moving bar ofeach solenoid 34 and 35 is attached as at 50 to a dispensing plate crosslink 47.

Referring to PEG. 8, an electrical circuit for operating the changemaker it has three principal component areas, delineated by the brokenline boxes, and designated as terminal block section, head assemblysection and back channel assembly section.

The actuating switch 25 located in the back channel assembly section isactuated by a switch means 51 interiorly of the receiver mechanism 12,and includes the double throw contacts 52 and an alternating relay 53.The numeral 54 indicates a coil energized by an electrical switch 55when the dispensing mechanism coin tubes 30 have been emptied of changecoins and are inoperative. Referring to FIG. 1, coil 54 may be energizedby the normally open electrical switch 55 phsically located adjacent thebase of one of the coin tubes 30, having a longitudinal side slot 56 forinsertion of the actuating element of switch 55.

The alternating relay 53 provides a means to ensure specific registry ofthe coin pockets 45 of the dispensing plate 32 with the coin bores 43 ofstationary support plate 31. It has been found that when a solenoid isenergized to move the dispensing plate 32 longitudinally from a coinreceiving position beneath plate 31 to a coin dispensing position abovepassages 49 of the stationary plate 33, conventional circuitry forenergizing the solenoids 34 or 35 may cause the dispensing plate 32 toreach the end of its travel path and bounce slightly back. The dropthrough passages 49 in the plate 33 are sufliciently large that thechange coins would fall into hopper 36 without difliculty. However, thecoin pockets 45 of the dispensing plate should have a diameter justslightly greater than the diameter of the change coin. Therefore, toensure accurate registry of the previously emptied coin pockets 45 whichthe respective coin bores 43, the relay 53 will again momentarilyenergize the solenoid previously energized, for movement in the normaldirection, before the switch element 52 energizes the other solenoid formovement in its normal direction.

While a preferred form of the change maker 10 according to the inventionhas been shown and described it will be apparent that the improvedfeatures of the dispensing mechanism 14 may be employed in other formsof change making apparatus, such as in vending machines, withoutdeparture from the disclosure herein.

What is claimed is:

In a change maker discharging a number of different denomination coins,there being twice the number of loaded coin tubes as the number of coinsdischarged for each changer operation, the combination comprising, astationary upper plate, an even plurality of substantially verticalsockets projecting above said upper plate, an even plurality ofsubstantially vertical tubes supported by said vertical sockets forstoring change coins in stack relation, longitudinal slots in the lowersurface of said upper plate having a height slightly greater than thethickness of any coin in said tubes, a dispensing plate longitudinallymovable in said longitudinal slots and having a thickness slightly lessthan the thickness of any coin in said tubes,

5 a plurality of coin pockets in said dispensing plate each selectivelyregistrable with two of said tubes, a stationary bottom plate matingwith said upper plate and said dispensing plate, coin passages in saidbottom plate longitudinally offset from said tubes, dual electricalsolenoid means connected one to each of the longitudinal ends of saiddispensing plate, means selectively energizing first one and then theother of said solenoid means for movement of said dispensing plateopposite directions, and relay means to momentarily energize thepreviously energized solenoid means before energization of the other ofsaid solenoid means, whereby specific registry of said coin pockets withsaid tubes and said coin passages is ensured.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,395,941 11/21Beattie 221'117 2,628,874 2/53 Everhart 221116 2,629,477 2/53 May 194102,712,892 7/55 Warren 221117 FOREIGN PATENTS 202,460 10/ 08 Germany.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, LOUIS J. DEMIBO,

Examiners.

